Second-chance (and more) property successes in Abilene

Showcase Square was a downtown shopping mall, once home to J.C. Penney. As Abilene grew west and malls were built, the center closed. It is now One AISD Center.(Photo11: Reporter-News file photo)Buy Photo

While some properties in Abilene remain vacant, others have been reclaimed and given new life.

Who remembers Showcase Square, the city's downtown shopping mall? It dried up as shopping moved to more suburban areas.

It has been One AISD Center, headquarters of the Abilene Independent School District since 2006. And the former AISD administration building, on North Mockingbird Lane near the district's planetarium, now is Kinder Hearts Home Health & Hospice.

We see eyesores and vacant property easier than we do sometimes properties that have been reclaimed.

The dramatic example maybe the former Westwood Theatre being reborn as the relocated Radiant Life Church.

And who knew, doggone it, the old Hot Dog Castle would become Bosses, a pizza place. The difference is knight and day.

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When West Texas Medical Center move to the site of the present Abilene Regional Medical Center, the property on East Highway 80 became home to Texas State Technical College, and later an Abilene ISD high school campus.(Photo11: Reporter-News file photo)

Here are 20 success stories over the years, in no particular order:

Planet Fitness. Some remember when the building was a Safeway, and more recently a crafts center.

New Hope Church. The southwest Abilene church had room to spare when it took over the former Triangle Bowling Lanes

Wylie United Methodist Church. If it doesn't look like a traditional church with a steeple, it's because it once was the offices of LaJet Inc., a local crude oil gathering and refining company.

Texas Health and Human Services. Long gone is Westgate Shopping Capital, later Westgate Mall, later Westgate Towne Centre. One of the former anchor department stores, Montgomery Wards, now is a state office building, with an adjoining area the driver license office.

The Mission. It seems former grocery stores make for good second or third homes. The site was the Region 14 Education Service Center before it became a non-denominational church, started in 1997 through Pioneer Drive Baptist Church.

Firehouse Fitness. This one stands out like a house a-fire because a former Abilene fire station, after another life as an adult day care center, became a workout facility that kept a tie to the past.

Chick-fil-A and Olive Garden. Back in the day, the corner of Southwest Drive and South Clack Street was home to Pelican's, a seafood restaurant that docked here in 1976. Before being torn down to accommodate the popular chicken sandwich chain, it was the ill-fated Knockers, a pre-Hooters knockoff that lasted three months. Across the street, a Fuddrucker's became an Olive Garden. Word was more conservative Abilene residents cursed its future because saying its name sounded like a bad word.

Goodwill. Speaking about second-hand stores ... Goodwill found homes at a former car dealership on South First and the former Toys R Us near the Mall of Abilene. The mall-area site also became home to VA Abilene Clinic.

The Mill Winery. This one's easy ... a mill became The Mill. The south downtown Abilene site was sitting vacant for ages until being turned into a venue that offers beer, wine and entertainment.

Rise Church. A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away ... this was The Movies, a small, twin-screen theater in Brook Hollow Shopping Center.

Drug Emporium. This discount store operates at the location of the king of all discount stores pre-Walmart: Gibson's.

Mehaffey & Watson law firm. Before this was a law office, your visit likely was for a burger, fries and soda. It was one of several Mr. G's restaurants around town. Another Mr. G's now is Sexy Nails, and another a Comet Cleaners.

MaxAir. The trampoline place not long ago was Teleperformance, which set up shop in the former Lone Star Market, a grocery store (do you see a theme here?).

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MaxAir recently opened in the old Teleperformance location which was in the old Lone Star Market.(Photo11: Larry Zelisko/Reporter-News)

New H-E-B? While a former Food Lion grocery store on North Willis Street has become home to Fountaingate Fellowship, the location on far Buffalo Gap Road remains vacant. In between it was a Lack's Furniture. We believe it will be an H-E-B some day, despite vague answers from the company when we shopped our questions.

OST. Before KTAB, the local CBS affiliate, moved back into town to share a building with KRBC, the local NBC station, the folks worked for the famous Eye were on U.S. Highway 277, almost as close to downtown Caps as downtown Abilene.

Booking it around town. Hastings first was located in a strip area near the corner of South 14th Street and Danville Drive. When it moved across the street (now Hobby Lobby), then back across again (former Albertson's), the first Hastings space was taken by the city of Abilene, which opened a south library branch. The branch recently moved to the Mall of Abilene, taking over a former Beall's store that became a Zumba center.

Piersall Funeral Directors. Its building once was Abilene Bible Church.

Downtown shuffle. A former auto garage became the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature, the Texas & Pacific depot became home to the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council and Abilene Convention & Business Bureau, a warehouse now home to TSTC's Culinary Institute and a dilapidated hotel today is The Grace Museum. There are other downtown transformations.

Texas State Technical College/Academy of Technology, Engineering, Math and Science (ATEMS). Before TSTC set down Abilene roots there, and was joined by the Abilene ISD high school, the site was West Texas Medical Center. The hospital moved far southwest Abilene, where today it's Abilene Regional Medical Center.

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Santa instructs a young bowler Dec. 17, 1983, at Triangle Lanes. After the facility closed, it became home to a church.(Photo11: Reporter-News file photo)

OK, one more. Before Quiznos on South 14th Street became Stillwater Barbecue, it was a savings and loan. Stillwater, you might say, has cashed in on its success.